Province excludes fruit wineries from wine deal

by SUSAN MANN

The province’s plans to allow Ontario wines to be sold at farmers’ markets left a sour taste in fruit wine makers’ mouths on Monday because they’re not included in the proposal.

Ontario Premier and Agriculture Minister Kathleen Wynne announced yesterday the province is renewing the Wine and Grape Strategy and investing $75 million over five years. Allowing VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) wines to be sold at farmers’ markets is a part of the renewed strategy. VQA wine is made from 100 per cent Ontario-grown grapes.

Bert Andrews, who produces fruit wines at his Scotch Block Country Winery in Halton Region and is on the Fruit Wines of Ontario board, says there has been no discussion to include fruit wines and no provision made to allow their sales at farmers’ markets.

“We’re pretty upset,” he says.

Mark Cripps, Wynne’s agriculture ministry spokesperson, says a pilot to take place next summer will focus on VQA wines, and “then we’ll see how that goes.”

Asked if the expansion would include fruit wine sales, Cripps says “who knows. Let’s get through the pilot. The government is committed to helping all aspects of the sector grow.”

Before introducing the pilot, the government will review existing regulations and legislation governing alcohol sales and then consult with representatives from the grape and wine industries, farmers’ market operators and social responsibility groups. “We want to make sure the sale of wine at farmers’ markets is successful before we consider expansion of the initiative,” Cripps says.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario will play a central role in regulating wine sales at the markets.

John Rufa who co-owns the fruit winery Kawartha Country Wines with his wife, Trish Dougherty, calls the fruit wine omission a disgrace, particularly since fruit wineries came up with the idea in 2007. Former Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman took up their cause in a private members’ bill that was defeated in 2009.

Rufa estimates 40 per cent of Ontario wineries – those that use either non-VQA grapes or fruit as well as makers of mead and cider – “have had the door slammed in their face. We’re excluded from going to farmers’ markets and to sell our wines at grocery stores. Why the government has chosen to do this is beyond us.”

Rufa says he’s restricted to selling his product only at his on-farm retail store. The government’s proposal now makes it even harder for fruit wineries to compete against the VQA wineries that have more access to markets and “huge government subsidies. Is this free enterprise, and competition and a level playing field? I don’t think so.”

British Columbia is in the process of enacting the same legislation as Ontario but it’s allowing all product of B.C. wines including fruit wines to be sold at farmers’ markets, he says, adding every other province that allows wine sales at farmers’ markets allows fruit wines to be sold at the markets too.

Andrews, who has been a fruit wine maker since 1999, says the government’s decision to expand VQA wine sales to farmers’ markets now is politically motivated. He says the government will soon be fighting a by-election in the Niagara Region and is introducing this proposal to win votes.

According to the rules set by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission and audited by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, the manufacturing license or permit for fruit wines stipulates the wines must be made with 100 per cent Ontario fruit, Andrews says. Allowing fruit wines to be sold at farmers’ markets fits perfectly with Ontario’s objective to encourage local food because it would be small, local producers selling at the markets, he adds.

But not everyone finds the government’s proposal hard to swallow. Debbie Zimmerman, CEO of Grape Growers of Ontario, says in a Dec. 16 press release the organization welcomes Wynne’s announcement and looks forward “to building on the government’s strategy to grow the success of Ontario’s grape and wine industry.” Zimmerman couldn’t be reached for comment.

Ontario has 15,000 acres of vineyards and Grape Growers represents more than 500 grape growers across the province.

The Ontario grape harvest for 2013 is 79,401 tonnes with a farm gate value of $99.2 million. That’s up from last year’s 66,014 tonne crop with the farm gate value at $88.6 million.

Some other elements of the revamped Wine and Grape Strategy include:

• Expansion of the LCBO’s new “Our Wine Country” boutiques. The boutiques are located in selected full-size stores and feature an expanded selection of VQA wines.
• Establishment of an Ontario wine fund to support key winery and vineyard investments, such as specialized equipment and machinery plus enhanced marketing for the province’s wines both locally and globally.
• Creation of a wine secretariat to address how to reduce red tape for the industry and help grape growers and wineries to be more competitive. Wynne and St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley will lead the secretariat. BF